Built to radiate exquisiteness the watches from the world-renowned premium watch making company Rolex are synonymous with class, sophistication and incredible craftsmanship. From its inception in 1905 till now Rolex has proved time and time again that every watch that it crafts is built with absolute perfection and earnest devotion. Rolex as a brand has grown tremendously and now has the capacity to manufacture 2000 watches per day. Counted among the top hundred most valuable brands of the world by BusinessWeek magazine this prominent luxury watch brand generates a revenue of about 3 billion US dollars. Rolex is the brainchild of Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis who together formed the ‘Wilsdorf and Davis’ company in London.

From humble beginnings in 1905 till now Rolex has etched its name permanently in the history of the world. The continual practice of pursuing excellence and perfection has resulted in Rolex being associated with meticulous engineering and unbelievable functionality a practice that evolved to become a tradition and a trademark. Rolex employs the finest materials and the best craftsmen to construct its masterpieces. Hans Wilsdorf was an orphan who later worked in a Swiss watch manufacturing company. Hans always dreamt of setting up a high quality watch-manufacturing firm that produced quality and functional watches at a lower price. It was with this ambition that he set up a subsidiary company of Rolex called Tudor in 1946.

Originally, when the brand was under the name of ‘Wilsdorf and Davis’ its primary business activity was importing Hermann Aegler’s Swiss movements to England. Hermann Aegler was a watch manufacturer from Bienne who partnered with Wilsdorf and Davis to export his products into England. Wilsdorf and Davis placed these imported Swiss movements into cases that were manufactured by Dennison and other manufacturers. After completion these finished watches were usually sold to other jewellers who stamped their own names on them. The initial watches that were manufactured by Wilsdorf and Davis had the initials WD etched on the inner part of the caseback. It was in 1908 that the term ‘Rolex’ was coined and an office was set up in La Chaux-de-fonds in Switzerland. Later, down the line in November 1915 ‘Rolex’ was registered as a company name. There are numerous stories and theories that have arisen on determining how the term ‘Rolex’ originated and what it actually means. Some theories suggest that Hans Wilsdorf had been inspired by Rolls Royce and merely added the suffix of the popular watch brand ‘Timex’ to it. While some theories suggest that Rolex is the sound the watch makes when it is wound up. Yet another theory suggests that Hans Wilsdorf wanted the company name to be easily pronounceable. No matter what these theories claim none of them have been confirmed by either Hans Wilsdorf or Alfred Davis. This added mystery adds a quaintly mystifying touch and allure to Rolex as a brand.

Although most people around the world associate the origins of Rolex with Switzerland, it was in England that this world-renowned brand was conceived. During World War I the government of England had imposed a heavy import duty on luxury import items. This in turn increased the cost of case metals that was driving up the manufacturing cost. Due to the manifold increase in the cost price of manufacturing a watch Hans Wilsdorf shifted his watch-manufacturing unit to Geneva in Switzerland in 1919. Initially known as the Rolex Watch Company it was later christened Montres Rolex SA and further renamed Rolex SA.

From its inception in England, to its shift to Switzerland, Rolex boasts of a rich heritage that has stormed the markets and transformed itself into a brand that exudes elegant form and precise functioning.

Considered to be a classic the Fastnet Race is a popular offshore yachting race. A British yachtsman Weston Martyr who had competed in the Bermudan races conceived the idea of the Fastnet Races. This biennial racing event covers a total distance of 608 nautical miles. It commences at Cowes in the Isle of Wright in England round the Fastnet rock on the southwest coast of Ireland and after crossing the southern part of the Isles of Scilly ends at Plymouth in England. The first Fastnet race in the year 1925 saw a total of seven boats competing. This time honoured tradition of battling the fiercest waves has stood the test of time and even though some rough incidents have marred its image it still continues to grow at a tremendous rate. In 1973 the International Offshore Rule was included in the rules of the Fastnet Races after which the various yachts that were competing began to seek sponsorship. The 1979 Fastnet race is covered in controversy and several books were penned down to capture the dramatic turn of events.

The Fastnet Race in 2007 was postponed by 25 hours due to the heavy gale force winds; this was a first in the history of the sport. The next day a total of 207 boats out of 271 had removed themselves from the race. Even though the weather conditions were extremely severe and could take a turn for the worse any time, Mike Slade on his Icap Leopard 3 braved the strong winds and shaved off almost 9 hours off the previous record and set a new record at 44 hours and 18 minutes. With such a dramatic history attached to it, the Fastnet Races have grown from merely a sport to an ultimate test of human endeavour and the capacity to prevail over daunting challenges. The entries for the Rolex Fastnet Race 2009 began on the 1st of January and were closed after the maximum capacity of 300 competitors was reached. About 70 entries are on the waiting list, they have a chance of competing only if the original members don’t turn up.

This year the entries range from a 30 foot yacht to a 100 foot one while the crew varies from being completely professional to some who are competing only for the adventure and thrill of conquering the 608 mile challenge. Scheduled to begin on the 9th of August at noon the competitors for the Rolex Fastnet Race are from across the globe including Australia, Honk Kong and Europe. The legendary Mike Slade and his 100 foot boat are all set to compete and probably conquer again this year. Due to the strict observation of rules all the yachts are screened rigorously and have to comply with all the requirements before they set off churning though the icy waters to glory.

The Rolex Fastnet Race is an ultimate test of endurance, courage and skill, all the important prerequisites of a true sportsman. Rolex endorses this tremendous ordeal that sheds light on man’s true character and brings forth the courage that transforms men into champions.

Rolex a formidable brand identifies itself not only with perfection and supreme class but also with adventure and strength. Among the exclusive events it supports and sponsors is the Rolex Baltic Week. This elite event sees top sailors coming together to compete in this world-class competition. These star sailors have already won a number of continental and world titles and are probably the toughest competitors in the world. Along with their eminent and extremely competent crew these sailors race against various teams to win the international star class European championship event. The sixth Rolex Baltic Week will be held at Kiel-Schilksee in Germany from the 4 to 11 of July. The Rolex Baltic Week sponsored by the illustrious Rolex brand is an excellent preparation ground for sailors to perfect their skills ahead of the World Cup races that are to be held at Kieler Woche in the end of June and the World Championships that are going to be held at Varberg in Sweden in late August.

The Rolex Baltic Week race takes place between world class Farr 40 teams that compete to win the top spot among the other well trained sailors and their teams. The teams are known as Farr 40 teams because of the forty foot sailboats that are used in this contest. The Farr 40 sailboat designed by Farr yacht design was originally intended to be an IMS boat but due its popularity it developed and adopted its one-design class.

The highest-flying sailors with a very high calibre are from the United States. The star sailing season commenced in Florida in January with the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta. The most experienced of all the sailors competing in the Rolex Baltic Week is the six time America Cup winner Paul Cayard. This world class veteran is also the ambassador for the premium Swiss watch brand Rolex. Mark Reynolds winner of many world and Olympic titles is among the other first-rate sailors who will be competing in the Rolex Baltic Week. The International Star Class Association (ISCYRA) has opened the Continental Championships to all who wish to participate. In the last few years the American teams have been immensely successful in beating all the other teams and winning the top prize. Mark Mendelblatt the three time Rolex Baltic Week champion will be returning this year to compete against the other teams for the coveted top spot.

Currently about 60 to 80 teams are likely to compete at the Rolex Baltic Week. The teams will be coming to a race village located in the northern part of Kiel-Schilksee for the event. The 1972 Olympic Arena has been completely renovated for the Rolex Baltic Week. This is the only German Regatta that is sponsored by Rolex and apart from the race would also include an exclusive social event. The governing authority has already published the notice for the race on the Internet as well as in a printed format. Sailors who wish to participate in this world class sailing event can log on to the official website and submit their entries. The Rolex Baltic Week is just another example of Rolex’s association with events that promote perfection and class.

There is hardly an individual or a brand that could possibly question the qualities of a premium Rolex watch.. However, time and again, Rolex watches have been subjected to rigorous tests and challenges by rival brands or companies, which luckily, Rolex has always managed to refute and emerge the glorious winner.

One of the finest examples for this claim can be drawn from the Mercedes Gleitze incident. Mercedes’ association with Rolex watches has been a pretty long one now. Mercedes, hailing from England, created history with her double attempts to cross the English Channel which had freezing cold water-, and all the while she wore her Rolex watch!. Her first attempt to cross the English Channel took place on October 7, 1927. Mercedes created history and became the first woman to swim through the English Channel. However, her success came along with strong criticism and allegations from certain critics who doubted Mercedes’ calibre and even her feat.

In a bid to silence her critics, Mercedes volunteered to cross the English Channel again. As compared to her first attempt, Mercedes’ second attempt attracted a lot of attention and even sponsors chiefly because of the controversy it had generated.. Encashing on the available opportunity, Rolex’s Wilsdorf decided to propogate the then-newly launched Rolex Oyster Perpetual watch. Mercedes was requested to wear the premium Rolex watch while crossing the channel which she willingly did. Mercedes wore the watch as a time piece around her neck while crossing the channel.

Although her second attempt to cross the channel didn’t materialize and Mercedes had to be pulled out of the water in an unconscious state, she managed to win accolades for her brave attempt. The Rolex Oyster Perpetual emerged as the clear winner of this second attempt. After she was pulled out of the water in an unconscious state, Mercedes was still wearing the Rolex watch around her neck, which surprisingly was still ticking away to glory even after having remained immersed in water for a considerable period of time.

After this alleged publicity stunt, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches became an instant hit the world over.. People, all over the world, were impressed with this water-proof, dust-proof and cold-proof watch which could endure the harshest conditions. Rolex Oyster Perpetual watch was the first of its kind to boast of being waterproof up to 330 feet underwater.

Mercedes’ second attempt to cover the English Channel didn’t prove as beneficial for her as it did for the Rolex Oyster Perpetual watch. Wilsdorf had succeeded in procuring the perfect platform to launch their revolutionary waterproof watch in the guise of Mercedes’ second attempt and as they say, the rest is history. However, it will be unfair to say that it was a well timed marketing gimmick which helped to popularise this watch. Rolex Oyster Perpetual proved itself subsequently over the years to emerge as the clear favourite of watch lovers all over the world due to its unmatched quality and performance.

Rolex the world renowned billion dollar watch manufacturer has the unique characteristic of exploring beyond the known and through this ongoing process of discovery it creates masterpieces that have no equivalent. Action is more powerful than words and this sums up what Christian Bale is as a person. Enamouring the world with remarkable performances Christian has an inherent quality to explore and venture out to portray characters with such realism that audiences are left completely spellbound. True to its nature the Rolex Explorer from the workshops of Rolex was the first watch ever to ascend the overwhelming peaks of Mt. Everest in 1953 on the wrist of Sir Edmund Hillary. Constructed to face extreme conditions the Rolex Explorer performs precisely no matter what the circumstances.

Like his Rolex Explorer, Christian Bale is one of those few actors who has been able to mesmerise the audiences around the world by playing every role with incredible ease and perfection. From the multi-million dollar Batman movies to American Psycho and The Prestige Christian he plays each character with flawless dedication.. Rolex has been in the business of watch manufacturing for many decades and in this time it has perfected the art of crafting watches to such a level that through its every make it reinforces its unbeatable style and performance. Christian has been cited by Entertainment Weekly as one of the most creative people in the world of entertainment and among the top eight most powerful cult figures of the decade. Christian’s confidence in his ability enables him to perform each role with expertise and remarkable ease. Rolex crafted the Rolex Explorer with utmost dedication and stayed true to its principal of using the finest materials in constructing this extremely reliable and durable watch. Right from its toughest test on the great slopes of Mt. Everest the Rolex Explorer has braved extreme conditions and defied any pre-conceived notions about its dependability and performance. One of Christian’s toughest tests came at the premier of American Psycho at the Sundance festivals but after the movie was screened even the most hardened critics were completely in awe of his incredible performance.

The Rolex Explorer uses an extremely durable alloy of steel known as 940L which is especially used in the chemical industry to withstand the extreme corrosiveness of the chemicals. This stainless steel watch uses a sapphire crystal that ensures that the watch is resistant to scratches and is able to withstand the daily wear and tear. At the heart of most Rolex watches like the Rolex Explorer lies a self winding oyster mechanism that ensures flawless performance every time. Christian’s robust dedication in developing himself to such a level that the characters he portrays are able to withstand all criticism and judgement is based on true passion in being the finest actor around is quite similar to the commitment of his Rolex watch to perform under any circumstances. The Rolex Explorer is an unbeatable and durable watch that defies every standard and performs with extreme reliability.

Rolex is a premium watch brand, which only the multimillionaires or the rich and the famous can afford to have. This is the reason why a large number of individuals who admire this brand can only dream of owning a Rolex watch, as they have limited financial resources.

Rolex seems to adopt the philosophy that anything, which is unattainable, becomes all the more desirable for an individual. Needless to say, Rolex has been able to command a commendable fan following all over the world. Rolex’s popularity was proved once again recently at a sales auction held in Birmingham, UK.

A Rolex watch was able to fetch a price as high as 10,500 pounds. The watch, which sold at this high price, was a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date. One of the main reasons why the Rolex watch was priced so highly was primarily because the watch was one of the main highlights of the total 472 items, which were placed in the auction. Fellows and Sons, Birmingham conducted the auction.

The managing partner of the sale commented that exclusive watches, such as Rolex always end up attracting a large amount of attention and also an excellent price in these sales which are conducted by them on a regular basis.

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date watch comes wrapped in an 18k white gold case and a shining silver dial. The watch is in the form of a bracelet and displays the date at the 3 o clock position.The watch happens to be the only product in the sale auction to fetch the highest bid amount.

Rolex which has often been dubbed as the only luxury watch brand available in the 1980’s is a brand you will instantly realise while watching a movie. The famous movie, “The Informers� which is a movie adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s novel by the same name has several scenes where its cast members can be seen sporting Rolex watches in several scenes of the film.

The movie features several of its actors wearing the Rolex Datejust. Rolex Datejust was deemed as the ultimate luxury model in the 1980’s. One might wonder what is the expediency behind every character sporting a Rolex Datejust or a Rolex Submariner, never mind the fact that none of the character ever glances at their watches to see the time.

Well, as stated above, Rolex were and still continues to be one of the most luxurious watch brands available during the 1980’s. Rolex Datejust managed to become a revolution in itself. It was a symbol of strictly conforming to the conventions set by the aristocratic class of a particular era. The watch simply looks magnificent in the movie with enough screen space being allotted to them. The makers of the movie were clever enough to show the Rolex a number if times in their movie, so that they just can’t be missed by the viewer.

Rolex Datejust was used as an ideal tool as a lifestyle indicator of the characters in the movie. Whenever one mentions the movie, “The Informers�, the mention of Rolex is inevitable. After all, it played a tremendous role in helping the movie depict a classy and luxurious aura about itself.

Exclusivity comes at a price. This is definitely proved by the famous luxury watch brand, Rolex. Every Rolex watch produced is a perfect example of master craftsmanship and exquisite artistry.

It is not everyday that one gets a chance to buy the best and the most exclusive model of the precious Rolex collection. This definitely sounds like a once in a lifetime opportunity. Officials at Rolex UK decided to offer this opportunity to a handful of individuals who are rich enough to afford these extremely luxurious watches.

One of the most rare Rolex watch was auctioned in a similar fashion. This timepiece was a part of the limited collection launched by the iconic watch company, Rolex itself during the 1950’s. This limited collection comprised only five watch pieces produced by Rolex all over the world.

The watch being discussed here is the last one, which was available in a collection from all over the world. The watch is a gent’s timepiece and is a product of every man’s dream of luxury. Apart from being a proud part of the antique, limited collection, another reason that makes this gent’s timepiece extremely desirable is the fact that it was a part of a collection of watches which were the first of their kind to display date, day replete with the phases of moon along with time.

The phases of the moon are displayed on the “black� dial. The unusual design of the dial is in accordance with the age-old tradition of Rolex to design the most exquisite watches for mariners. The other four models of this limited collection have already been sold in different parts of the world. This watch was auctioned at NEC in Birmingham. Considering the exclusivity and admiration which Rolex watches command, the watch was auctioned at just the right place as NEC also played host to the first ever National Fine Art and Antiques Fair.

All Rolex watches come with a waiting period of at least two years before the watch can be owned by the wishful customer. So, loyal and millionaire fans of Rolex wouldn’t have minded shelling out extra in order to lay their hands on this rare collectible.

A watch, which radiates royalty, can only fit the persona of someone who is the heir of the first family of Britain. One look at Prince William is enough to convince you that only the best will do for him and why finer things are naturally associated with lineage. The wrist watch that is tailor made for this imperial figure is undoubtedly the Rolex Oyster Royal. ‘Vintage’ is the word best used to describe the mysticism of the Rolex Oyster Royal watch. The Rolex Oyster Royal has been associated with luminaries and bigwigs for the past many decades and has been established as a timeless piece of memorabilia. Only this watch can do justice to the heir-apparent to the royal throne.

The Prince and The Watch: Royalty Personified

Prince William received his education from a variety of schools and went on to obtain a degree from the University of St. Andrews. Along the way, he also spent some time in places like Belize, Chile and Africa, widening his geographical knowledge. The Rolex Oyster Royal enjoys a place of pride across geographical boundaries because it is sold all over the world. Being commissioned as a lieutenant post military enrollment, William joined the Household Cavalry and became a part of the Blues and Royals. He also received wings for the completion of pilot training from the Royal Air Force College Cranwell, which displays his daring and versatility. The Rolex Oyster Royal is an equally versatile watch with endearing features like a silver dial, a slick black leather strap, and a date-stamped L62 on the back.

Prince William currently serves in the Royal Air Force as a flight lieutenant and is under training to become a part of the Search and Rescue Force as a full-time pilot. The Rolex Oyster Royal has always been a terrific memento for people appreciating royal things and would be peerless on Prince William’s wrist. Just like his heritage, the watch also boasts a legacy of being adorned by many charismatic individuals.

Renowned British adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes wore a Rolex watch every time he went ahead with an expedition. He has also broken and is the holder of various endurance records. Now it is apparent that Sir Fiennes wore a Rolex watch because the brand personifies the spirit of endurance and fortitude. Sir Fiennes also holds the distinction of being the first human being to pay a visit to both the North and South Pole, and also of being the first to cross Antarctica by foot. Rolex is also unique as it was the first brand in the history of wrist watches to introduce the day-date concept. The Guinness Book of World Records has listed Sir Fiennes as the greatest living adventurer ever. Rolex has been listed in many record books as one of the most legendary brands to sell wrist watches.

An Adorable Unison

Sir Fiennes stayed in South Africa until the age of 12 when he returned with his mother back to England and went to Elton for studies. He joined the prestigious British army and served in the Royal Scots Greys for 8 years, the same regiment as that of his father. Prestige and Rolex have always gone hand in hand with the world saluting the accomplishments of Rolex. Fiennes took to trekking in the 1960s and had his most historic adventure during the Transglobe Expedition from 1979 until 1982. Rolex has also had a historic track record of being worn by dignitaries and celebrities all over the world and of serving premium-quality wrist watches.

Such has been the buoyancy of Sir Ranulph Fiennes that he set out to finish seven marathons in seven days on seven different continents despite being tormented by a major heart attack and undergoing double bypass heart surgery four months earlier. The voyage started on the 26th of October in South America and Finished on the 1st of November in North America. Rolex has also been known for accomplishing extraordinary achievements and fabricating unique watches. It stands to reason that Rolex was the most appropriate choice of watches that Sir Fiennes could make while on these voyages.